Class Notes: There are many talented Collier County students performing great music

Citizen Contributor,JOE LANDON

11:10 AM, Mar 19, 2014

We’d like to think we have some of the best high school marching bands in the land here in Collier County. When it’s time to “strike up the band” at a football game, or at last weekend’s St. Patrick’s Day parade in Naples, our student musicians shine — brightly.

And when our seven marching bands compete at a Florida Bandmasters Association Music Performance Assessment, it’s likely that they will receive excellent if not superior ratings as they did last October.

The Collier County School District’s superintendent, Kamela Patton, is a cheerleader for our band program, quite often singing its praises when she speaks to an assembled community group or at most public meetings. She is known to attend two football games under the Friday night lights each week, and watching the marching bands take the field makes her very happy and extremely proud.

“I am always thrilled to hear our bands perform because of their high standard of excellence. Watching them is one of my favorite things to do,” Patton said.

Gulf Coast High School’s director of bands, Steve DeLadurantey, credits Collier school district administrators and his school’s administration for the success of our bands.

“We also live in a community which believes in and supports the arts,” he said.

DeLadurantey says the support comes in many forms including “funding for instruments and uniforms, curriculum written to promote the arts, school scheduling that supports the arts, and overwhelming audiences at our performances.”

Lederian Townsend, director of bands at Lely High School, appreciates the support as well.

“As teachers, we are allowed to express our love of what we do with a vast amount of encouragement and assistance,” Townsend said. “There is also the camaraderie. Any question or problem that I have as a high school band director, I know that I have six other experts in the field waiting and willing to help.”

And it’s all about the students. Townsend says that “nothing is more fulfilling than having a student mention that his or her favorite class is an art or music class.” DeLadurantey believes that what his students are learning will help them succeed in today’s world. “Students in music are taught to listen critically, practice diligently, perform flawlessly, to work as a team and to show leadership, which will serve them well in life.”

So how do the students feel about being in band?

“It is great to be a part of something as large and successful as my school’s band,” says Kelly Gramer, senior flag line captain at Gulf Coast. “I think of my fellow band members as my second family.”

Kate Campo, another passionate band member at the school, simply loves performing with her friends.

“The memories I am making will last a lifetime,” she said.

Our district’s coordinator of fine arts, Linda Cummings, reminds me that our music programs include concert and symphonic bands and jazz ensembles. There are also middle schools bands which prepare students for their high school experience. Plus, we have some of the best choruses around. The bottom line, says Cummings, is that “our students have the opportunity to perform a wide range of music at many levels.”

That’s something Rose Gelin, a band and chorus student at Lely, really likes.

“I’m learning different types of music and that’s something I enjoy because I love diversity,” Rose said. “Music is a different language that not everyone can speak, but we as musicians can. The music actually speaks to me. Band is amazing!”

Next time you get the chance to take in a school performance, I hope the music speaks to you.

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Joe Landon is the executive director of the Communications and Community Engagement department for the Collier County School District.